LATEST PUSHKARAM NEWS (UPDATED EVERY FEW MINUTES)

Pushkaram works yet to pick pace

GUNTUR: Though Krishna Pushkarams are barely two months away, the
works are going on at a snail’s pace. While the Government wants to make
this mega event a massive success, the works are yet to pick pace.
Even
at the main ghats like Old Amaravati and Seethanagaram, which are
expected to attract lakhs of devotees, works are not expedited yet. The
plan is to construct a 1.3 km long ghat connecting both Amaravati and
Dharanikota ghat as Amara Lingeswara temple, one of the pancharamams, is
located closeby and could attract up to 1.5 to 2 lakh people every day
during the 12-day fete.
Similarly, Seethanagaram at Tadepalli,
Penumudi in Repalle mandal, Anupu near Narajuna Sagar and Sathrasala in
Rentachintala mandal are also expected to draw huge crowds.
Seethanagaram is close to Prakasam barrage and Vijayawada railway
station. Its proximity to Chennai-Kolkata National Highway too could see
up to one lakh pilgrims everyday.
Irrigation superintending
engineer KVLMP Chowdary said works worth Rs 50 crore are being taken up
to develop pushkar ghats and exuded confidence that works would be
completed as per schedule. However, the ground reality appears different
as works are yet to start in some ghats and in some others, the pace of
work is tardy.
Another major problem is with the laying of
approach roads to Pushkar Ghats. The works are yet to pick up momentum.
An official said on condition of anonymity that the problem lies in
delay in according administrative sanctions and the non-release of
funds. “Though the funds are sanctioned, they remain on paper. Only
meagre amounts have been actually released and the contractors are not
coming forward to execute the works without money,” the official said.